Bridal Shower #2

My upstate bridal shower was set to start at 1pm on Saturday, so I booked a flight for Friday afternoon, allowing a relaxing night before the partying began.

But then my flight was delayed and later canceled on Friday evening due to thunderstorms traveling across the Northeast. Luckily I was rebooked for the next morning at 8am, which still left time to get prepared (physically and mentally) for the shower. You can read more about my crazy weekend in the 2 month update!

Everything worked out fine and I was blown away at my friends’ love and creativity. But, then again, I wasn’t. They’re my friends for a reason, right? Of course they love me and I know they’re all amazingly creative and thoughtful; I guess I was just taken aback at how everything came together beautifully even though only 2 of them are currently living in the same town as the shower and as each other!

The shower was held at Sweet Ecstasy Bakery in Batavia. Now, I know you may think that sounds like a strip joint, adult toy shop, or something, but I promise it is a great location for lunch or some other special occasion. My Aunt Gracia had originally sent me the brochure as an idea for the upstate reception at the end of August, but I realized that the largest room most likely wouldn’t be big enough (it holds up to 55).

We arrived a bit early to decorate and check out the venue a bit before everyone started to arrive. It was great to finally be back with my best girlfriends again – making your life and home in a new city and being far from familiar faces is so difficult. You realize just how much you took for granted all those times you just hung out watching TV or sat in the backyard roasting marshmallows or had the ability to just go out to lunch on a spur of the moment thing. But then again it makes the times you do get to see each other that much more special and precious.

It was wonderful just throwing around our familiar jokes and stories while creating new ones. And it made me so happy to see friends from different “groups” come together and get along. Not that I thought there would be a problem between any of my bridesmaids, but not everyone gets along with everyone else (AKA life). I have the best friends.

So we got all the decorations out, made the place look even more beautiful, and people started arriving! I got to see family and my mom’s long-time friends whom I haven’t seen in (literally) years. It was so wonderful knowing that I had the support of all of these ladies and I can’t wait for them to meet Tom, whether at the downstate wedding or the upstate reception, because I know they will love him.

I was especially ecstatic that my mom was able to make it to my shower. Not only because I haven’t seen her since December, but also because she doesn’t get out of the nursing home much. I know she was so happy to see me, her friends, and family that she also hasn’t seen in years.

Once everyone showed up, my friend Megan took over as game hostess. And she rocked it – look out Vanna! I must admit I was a bit skeptical about playing bridal shower games – I’ve heard of and played a bunch that are so cheesy and lame, they just seem like time-wasters.

But not these games – these games rocked. The first game was Name That Tune Love Song Edition. Everyone was so into it! The prizes were cute little cups filled with a bunch of mixed mini chocolates – Twix, 3 Musketeers, Milky Ways, etc.

After the game, we ate our delicious lunch and then it was on to game #2 – He Said, She Said: Facebook Edition! It was the cutest game: given Facebook statuses that Tom and I have posted, guests had to guess who said each by circling either the mustache (Tom) or lips (me). I got them all right, so I got a cup of chocolates. Boom, memory. Also, let me just say that the two of us are very witty in our status posts.

Then it was time for presents; I got so many great items and beautiful cards, so thank you to everyone!! Thankfully people offered to take the larger ones and ship them to us downstate because there was no way I could take them all on the plane back home.

And then: Cookies and Cream Marble cake. Sorry, do I need to repeat that? Could you not hear over your mouth salivating? I don’t blame you, I could totally go for a piece right now. It was so amazingly good. And a few truffles, petit fours, and macarons were placed in the middle of the tables as well. Overall, I would give the food a 10/10, hands down.

Did you think it ended with cake? Nope! They had one more game for me and it was fantastic. And difficult! It was like the couples quiz game; Megan said she asked Tom a bunch of questions and I guess how I thought he answered. Got it? Well it actually ended up evoking a question from our Pastor’s wife about Tom and my first date. I just kind of said, “We went to Starbucks on campus in Geneseo.”

But my friend Courtney (whom I befriended through Tom) took over and told the whole story of Tom getting ready for said date, his being gone for over 3 hours for said date, and his reaction after said date. It was so nice getting someone else’s perspective on it; she had everyone’s attention and they all ‘aww’ed afterward.

Everyone started heading out after we thanked them all for coming, taking their Bath and Body Works hand lotion favors with cute little tags on them. I am so incredibly blessed and thankful for everyone who took part in that day.

The owner of the bakery was exceptionally nice as well – she was focused on making sure we had everything we needed the entire time. She did a fantastic job on the food, cake, table set-up, and her hospitality was superb. I definitely recommend Sweet Ecstasy Bakery!

To my friends in my bridal party: thank you all for setting the whole thing up, for being great friends, and working so well with each other! I am so glad to have you in my life, not just for throwing me a great party, but for the wonderful times that we’ve had together in the past and that we will have in the future. I love you all.